Stuck in the Game
by RozaCourt
Summary: Max and her boyfriend Fang are both the greatest players in the RPG world. This title carries on game after game after game. When they become stuck in the newest RPG, their title becomes the wedge between them. After separating, will they ever be able to get back what they once had? (rated T for certain words)
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

"Fang, look out!" the greatest female RPG player yelled to her partner. Said partner- the greatest male RPG player- ducked just as a pterodactyl flew right where his head had been.

"Thanks!" She nodded and focused back on the tennis ball sized energy ball growing between her hands. "Could you possibly speed that up please, Max?!"

The girl's eyes narrowed as her dirty blond hair lifted off of her shoulders. "You try doing this while making sure your partner doesn't screw up at the exact same time!"

"Nah, I'm good!" Fire surrounded his hands as he punched the pterodactyl multiple times.

"That's what I thought," she muttered. The ball grew to the size of a basketball. "Done! Now move!"

The male player kicked the beast away and landed behind the female. She thrust her hands forward, blasting the monster. The boy put a barrier around the two of them as bits of flesh fell everywhere. Once things settled, she smiled at her partner.

_"__Dino Domination top boss defeated. Winners: Maximum Ride and Nicholas Walker," _the overhead announcer said.

"Tell Mrs. Walker I say hi," Maximum Ride said.

"We'll be over by 8 for dinner. It's your turn to cook," Nicholas Walker replied.

"I know. See you at 8." He kissed her quickly before they logged out of the game.

**I know it's short. But, hey, it's a prologue. I'm currently deciding to stop the following stories until further notice: **

**1.****Maximum West**

**2.****Please Don't Let it Be Over**

**3.****Saving Each Other**

**I am stopping these because they aren't as popular as I thought they would be and it seems like not that many people were really interested in them. So if you would like to adopt them, I will gladly hand them over. Otherwise, I will delete these stories and focus on my newer ones.**

**Max: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, I love those! Don't delete them!**

**Me: sorry, Max. But it has to be done.**

**Max: I bet Fang will have something to say about this. Hang on. FANG!**

**Me: reviews are greatly appreciated.**

**-RozaCourt**


	2. At School (Max POV)

Chapter One

As I walked into my homeroom, applause exploded throughout the room. I smirked as I bowed repeatedly.

"Thank you, thank you. It was nothing really." I made my way to my desk in the back of the class.

Let me explain the entrance. First of all, my name is Maximum 'Max' Ride. I am the top ranking female RPG player. My entire class plays RP games, so when I beat one everybody knows.

My RPG partner/ real world boyfriend is the dark and sexy Nicholas 'Fang' Walker. He is the top ranking male player of RPG with the shaggiest, blackest hair ever. We have always worked together, dominating games side-by-side. There hasn't been a single thing that came close to separating us. And nothing will.

I looked up from my phone when the door opened again. Speak of the damned sexy demon, here's Fang now. His hair was covering his obsidian eyes. Those eyes… I can just die in them….

… I never said any of that! You hear me?! Never said it!

"Hey, Fang. Why don't you sit right here today?" the skank of the school, Lissa, purred, patting the desk right beside her. I gagged as she flipped her ridiculously red hair flirtasiously.

"Well…" he started.

"I will kill you if you even consider it," I growled. He chuckled as he walked over to me.

"You wouldn't. You need me for the next game- _Element's Sword_." My eyes brightened as he placed an already open magazine in front of me. He kissed my forehead and sat beside me as I read the article.

"'_Element's Sword _is an RPG where players battle monsters. Their only weapon is a sword packed with power and- in a very few cases- a dragon similar to their element.' That sounds so awesome!"

"Ms. Ride, keep it down back there," the teacher said sternly. I waved him off.

"Chill, man. Homeroom ends in 3… 2… 1… now." The bell rang, and I stood with Fang. "See you at lunch." I kissed him.

"Bye, Max." We went our separate ways.

~Line Break~

"Long line. We're going to be here forever," my sometimes really stupid boyfriend groaned. I rolled my eyes at him.

"We're top gamers, hon. We don't wait in lines." With that, I walked purposefully to the front of the line.

"Hey, the end of the line is behind you!" a boy yelled.

"Hey, loser pile is to the left of you!" I yelled back.

"Come on then! You wanna go?!" I spun around to face the idiot inferior talking to me.

"Yeah, I'll go! I'll go all Dino Domination on your ass! Come on!"

Fang grabbed me as I lunged. "Max, cut it out. Let's just get our games and go." I struggled for a few moments before giving up. Seriously, this boy has a strong grip.

I let him lead me to the game counter. We both pulled out our gaming IDs that give us VIP benefits to all games as long as we're top gamers.

"Two copies of _Element's Sword_. Please." I added in that last part when Fang decided to squeeze my arm. The man behind the counter rung up the games and our IDs.

"That will be $10 each." Fang paid. "Good luck, you two." My boyfriend yanked me to the right and away from the fuming line of teenagers.

"What are you doing? The car is the other way," I pointed out.

"So is that guy you almost got into a fight with. I'm walking you home." I looked from his tensed jaw to his tensed bicepts to his hand strangling my arm. '_Shit, I made him mad_.'

"What is your problem?"

"My _problem_ is you! Ever since you became a top rank, you've been arrogant!"

"_Me_ arrogant?! I'm not arrogant! Arrogant is nowhere near my personality! And even if I was, being arrogant is a good thing!"

"Yeah, when you're in the _game_! In the real world, arrogance can get people to hate you!"

"I don't care about what other people think of me!" I declared. His grip tightened on my arm. "Hey!"

"So you don't care about what _I _think of you?" he growled. I paled. '_This is dangerous ground,_' I thought.

"I… I didn't say that." We stopped on my porch. "Fang, I didn't say that."

"But you meant it. I'll see you in the game. _Maybe._" He started walking away.

"Fang!" He rounded the corner without looking back at me, so I did what anybody else in my position would do. I punched the brick wall and stormed inside to eat chocolate chip cookies and get my hand fixed.


	3. First Day in the Game (Fang POV)

**Disclaimer: I do not own MR or the game idea. You'll find out eventually what I mean by the game idea.**

Chapter two

I appeared in the beginning stage of _Element's Sword_, looking around. '_Max said we'll meet up here at lunch. I wonder where is could be._'

I sat down on a bench and leaned my head back. '_Maybe she decided to not come because you yelled at her_.'

'_Shut UP, stupid conscious!_'

"I thought you said you weren't going to meet me here," I heard above me. I looked up and saw Max.

"I was angry. I didn't mean it." I stood up and wrapped my arms around my very tense girlfriend. "Maxie, I'm sorry."

"It hurt when you said I don't care about what you think of me. I'm not those lame headed girls at school. You _know _I care."

"Max, I'm sorry." I slowly kissed along her jaw just the way she likes it. I felt her shiver and relax in my arms. "Forgive me," I whispered in her ear.

"I already do," she breathed.

"You know, public shows of affection are illegal around here," a voice said behind us. I let Max go and turned around as she approached the red haired swordswoman. Red hair…. I know her from somewhere.

"Says who?" The necklace around the red head's neck glowed as a purple handled sword appeared in her hand.

"Says me." Max's hand glowed fire red as a gold sword appeared in each of her hands.

"Lissa, I'm VIP. I am not afraid of a newbie player." I grabbed her by the arms.

"Come on you. Let's gather up some snacks for hunting."

I lifted her feet off of the ground and carried her to the town hall by the arms. I didn't let her go until we got to a grocery counter for fear of her trying to run back the way we came. We pulled out our IDs.

"Gamers Maximum Ride and Nicholas Walker reporting for VIP benefits," my partner said. We watched as drinks, bread, and cheese were added to our items list.

"Happy hunting," the counter man said. Max looked up at me.

"Come on. You need to get your sword and choose your element." I followed her to the blacksmith's shop.

"Why was your glow fire based?" She bit her bottom lip, unease showing in her eyes.

"I decided to choose fire this time," she answered softly.

"Max!"

"I'm sorry! I thought you didn't want to partner up with me this time! In order to win this game, I need either the most powerful element or a powerful partner with the most powerful element. And since the latter implied we weren't going to work together, I had to go with the former!"

"It doesn't matter! Fire has always been _my _element! Mine! You know the system won't let us both have the same element!"

"Well _maybe _if you hadn't been a _jerk _earlier, I wouldn't have had to _choose _that element!" she yelled, shoving me with each stressed word.

"And _maybe _if you hadn't been such an arrogant _bitch_, I wouldn't have been a _jerk_!" I yelled back, doing the same.

Only, I forgot my own gaming strength. When I shoved her at 'jerk,' she flew back to a building wall, bounced off of it, and skidded across the concrete ground. Five times.

"Max!"

**Max: what did you do to me?!**

**Me: you'll find out next chapter.**

**Max: but….**

**Me: reviews are greatly appreciated.**

**-RozaCourt**


	4. And We Seperate (Max POV)

**Ugh, I thought I had it hidden so well! Trust me to love the show so bad.**

**Max: what are you talking about, Roza?**

**Me: cookiemonsterlovebooks****accurately guessed (by accident, I think) that this fic is based completely from SAO! I was gonna reveal that later in the chapter, but I wanted to say this now. cookiemonsterlovebooks, you deserve a prize. Anything you want, just let me know. Well…. Almost anything.**

**Fang: RozaCourt does not own MR, the Flock, or SAO (Sword Art Online).**

**Me: thank you, Fang.**

Chapter three

'_Ow. Wait, why did that hurt? After all, this is a game. And games don't let you feel pain for real_,' I thought as I rose to my hands and knees shakily. I put a hand to my forehead and was surprised to see blood when I moved it away. I mean, real blood. Like I would've seen in the real world. Thick, sticky, blood.

"Darn you, Fang." I rose unsteadily to my feet, fighting the urge to faint.

"Max, are you…?" I shoved him away as best as I could as he stepped too close to me.

"You of all people should know that when I say 'Darn you,' that person should stay as far away as possible." I put a hand on my forehead again. "Fire, heal." The dizziness went away as my HP filled back up.

"Max, I'm sorry," Fang said as he reached out for me again. I backed away from him, shaking my head.

"No, Fang. You're not. A good boyfriend, a _truly sorry _boyfriend, wouldn't have hurt his girl like that before _less _than an hour has gone by since the last time she was upset with him."

"Maxie, I _am_ truly sorry." I turned away from him.

"Maybe my mom was right. Becoming a gamer was the worst thing that can happen to me. Because if I hadn't, I wouldn't have fallen in love with the absolute wrong guy for me. Fire, log out."

After staying there a few seconds, I raised an eyebrow. "Fire, log out!"

"Are you sure you're doing it right?" I held my hand in front of me and summoned a fire ball.

"Fire, element guide." The ball transformed into a book; I flipped through it until I found the page I was looking for. "_Once you have chosen your element, you can use it to summon or use things on your items list. You can also activate actions in your menu._ Logging out is an action in our menu."

"Not exactly." I looked back at Fang; he was looking in his own menu. "Look at…."

Before he could finish, we glowed white and disappeared from the street we were standing in. We reappeared in the central arena along with thousands of other players.

"What now? I wanna go home," I groaned.

"I think we're about to find out," Fang said, pointing up. I looked in the direction of his finger in time to see a video frame appear in the sky.

"Hello, RPG players VIP and new gamers alike. My name is Jeb Batchelder, and I welcome you to my world," the man on the screen said.

I gasped softly. "Daddy?" I whispered. I haven't seen him in months!

"Those of you that have already chosen your elements may have realized you cannot log out using that element. This is not a defect. I repeat, this is not a defect. My team and I wanted to create a world where your lives depend solely on your ability to survive a game. And we succeeded," he went on.

"What is he talking about?" a player nearby asked. A realization hit me.

"They're going all SAO on us," I gasped.

"Much like Akahiko Kayaba's Sword Art Online, the only way to get out of the game is to beat all 20 levels," my father (unfortunately) clarified. "Also much like SAO, you can no longer revive another player. Once your HP drops to zero, the NerveGear will then end your life in the real world. The only difference is if you die, you will be killed by your element."

"Fire is the most powerful, painful, and the slowest killing element there is," I softly whispered. Fang wrapped an arm around my waist, so I leaned my head on his shoulder.

"For the VIP players, I am allowing both of you to have the element of fire. With that said, I wish you all good luck." The screen disappeared; I watched a boy run up onto a platform.

"I say this is all a practical joke! There is no possible way a helmet can kill you using fire, water, or any other element other than electricity! This is all a sham!" My eyes flashed.

"Max, don't!" Fang grabbed my arm.

"Fire, free me!" His hand snatched back, allowing me to run up to the platform.

"Hey!" the boy yelled as I shoved him.

"Listen, you strawberry blond headed idiot! I happen to know that man! He is one of the greatest scientists in history! And he is very serious!" I turned around to face the players. "Fire, real world news!" A screen above me in a burst of flames.

"12,000 players logged in just one hour ago! 1,000 died 30 minutes ago because their families tried to take off the NerveGear! As I speak, two thousand are dying because of idiots like him!" I pointed at the idiot. "They thought this really is a joke, and so called their families and friends to take the NerveGear off!"

"Who are you?!" a female player asked.

"Fire, profile screen!" My picture and information appeared over us all with fire surrounding it. "I am Maximum Ride, top ranking female RPG player!"

~Line Break~

Ten minutes later, I made it to the exit for the arena. "Max, wait up!" I stopped and didn't turn around as Fang joined my side.

"Max, we need to choose a place to live," one of the 11 girls I decided to group with told me.

"Go on ahead. I can catch up." They nodded and walked away; I looked at Fang. "What?"

"You're starting a guild? Without me?"  
"You didn't take the hint earlier? We're over. We're not partners or a couple anymore. I can and I will create a guild and beat this game. Without you." I turned around and he grabbed my wrist.

"You'll never be able to beat this game without me. Nobody can help you like I can." I deliberately pulled my wrist away and stood in his face.

"Get this in your head now, Nicholas Walker. This is the final game I will _ever _play. I will surprise everyone with how easily I will win without you. I do not _need _you. I do not _want _you. And I do not plan on _losing _to you," I said slowly, deliberately, and with an exaggerated calm tone.

With that said, I turned around and walked away.

**Reviews are greatly appreciated.**

**-RozaCourt**


	5. A Month Later (Nudge POV at beginning)

**Believe me guys, I get how you feel. FAX is the greatest ship there is, and it is very irritating when they get separated. But, with this fic, I am attempting to keep the story as close to the actual series as possible. And in the series, Fang and Max separate… about three times that I can think of right off hand. So, there is some separation. Also some FAYA (not FISSA, that I will NEVER do). Anyway, enjoy the chapter!**

**Iggy: RozaCourt does not own MR or SAO. They belong to their respective true honors.**

**Me: thanks, Igs.**

Chapter five

"_Level three boss defeated. Level four unlocked_," the overhead voice said as the sparks from the defeated beast cleared away. The leader of my guild, the great and powerful Maximum Ride, put away her now black swords (they darkened back in level 2) and walked over to me.

"Fire, heal and replace," she murmured, touching the spot on my wrist where my hand is supposed to be. The bastard beast cut it off! The body part appeared and my HP went back up to 100%.

"Thanks, Max." She nodded and straightened to address the other now healed girls.

"Alright, ladies! Grab whatever item you want quickly so we can head home!"

All 10 girls of the guild nodded and began choosing their items. I chose a dragon's wing: it will go with my other one I got in level one to enable me to fly. I watched Max take a few teeth and the tail.

"Why do you need those?" I asked her.

"It will finish the third dragon catcher I'm making. I want us to be the first guild to have our very own dragons." She looked over at me. Well, she looked at my head. "Angel, come tame Nudge's hair!"

"Kk!" The blond haired spirit user skipped ovedr to us and put her hand on my head. "Spirit, tame." My brown curly hair swept up into a ponytail. Max nodded in approval.

"Alright! Let's head home!"

Everyone around us teleported out of the room. Max and I did the same after making sure everybody was gone and appeared in our home.

"Ladies, get something to eat then get some rest. Nudge and I will be in the square."

"Ok, Max," the girls said tiredly.

I watched Max go around giving out food rations and rubbing backs. She whispered something into Ella Martinez's ear before joining my side once again.

"Fire, teleport!" She glowed red.

"Water, teleport!" I glowed ocean blue. Both of us appeared in the town square in the beginning stage of level one.

"Here." I looked at her as she held out a lunch bag.

"Thanks," I said as I accepted it. As we walked, we ate our lunch silently; I looked around at the different stores. "This place is normally swarmed. Where is everybody?"  
"Same place we're headed: the central arena. I signed us up for a dragon claim against another guild."

A dragon claim is a two minute battle for whatever dragon appears over the arena. Non-players calculate when the next dragon appearance will be and schedule a claim for that time. Two people from each guild has two minutes to try to claim at least one dragon before time is up. Once the two minutes are up, the dragons are gone.

A long leash with dragon teeth around the collar popped up on my items list. "What element should I go for?" I activated my dragon wings.

"Water, fire, and spirit are the three that will be out there. I want you to get the water for yourself. I'll make a clone of myself to get the other two," she answered.

"Duly noted." We walked into the arena's field and cheers erupted in the stands.

"Ride's Angels are here!"

"Look, it's Maximum Ride!"

"I love Nudge's wings!"

"Ride's Angels! Ride's Angels! Ride's Angels!" I heard people chanting the guild's name (amongst other things) and was about to wave when Max nudged me.

When I looked at her, she directed my gaze up. I nearly shrieked in fright when I saw three huge dragons flying over us. They look nothing like the magazine picture. These looked much more… malicious. Dangerous.

"They're perfect. The one with the slight blue tint is yours." I gulped and nodded, too afraid to use my words.

'_What did I get myself into_?' I thought to myself. The bell signaling the beginning of the battle rang. I took a deep breath, spread my wings, and flew into the air, dragon leash in hand.

~Max POV~

"Fire, clone me!" Another me appeared beside me. I activated both leashes. "Fire, fly!"

The crowd murmured in awe as fire wings appeared on my clone and my backs. Got them back in level two point sixty-five. Not many players know that part even exists. But my guild does. I flew up with my clone to the two most powerful dragons in the game.

Halfway there, a fire fist connected with my stomach. With an 'oof' I began falling back to the ground. '_Dang it! I forgot about the other guild! But only one person has a high enough level to even affect me with an attack_.'

"Oh, sneak attack from the equally famous to Max, Fang Walker!" the announcer said, verifying my thoughts.

"Fire, 10 clones!" my clone and I yelled. Twenty more copies of myself appeared around me as I landed on my feet. "Clones, attack!"

His hands came up as all twenty one clones flew up at him. While he ws focused on protecting himself, I snapped out my leashes and flew up to the dragons.

"Monique has just claimed the water dragon by successfully bringing it down to the ground! Will Max be able to get the other two in ten…!" I flew faster.

"Nine… eight… seven…!" As the crowd counted down, I snapped the leashes around both dragons' necks. I held onto the ropes tightly. "Five… four… three…!"

"Fire, yank me down!" I yelled. My trusty element yanked me down to the field; the dragons touched the ground just as time ran out.

"We did it, Max! We have dragons!" Nudge squealed from her mount on her dragon. I grinned and easily mounted the fire one, holding onto the leash for the spirit beast.

"Ride's Angels now have dragons!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

I marveled in the cheers around me even as I looked down at my old partner smugly.

**So, I decided to update now. Besides, I'm bored. And if you guys read any of my other fics, I'm currently having writer's block with them. So, if you have any suggestions for them- especially My Guardian Vampire- I'm open to them.**

**-RozaCourt**

Chapter six


	6. Joining Together (Fang POV)

Chapter six

"Oh, Fangy! Are you ok?!" I mentally winced at Lissa's high pitched voice. Why again did I let her in my guild? Oh yeah, to get her to shut up in my ear. I shrugged and continued walking to a diner with the rest of my group.

"Of course he's not ok. He just got whipped by a girl," my 2nd in command teased.

"Well, Iggy. At least the one _I _was up against attacked me with clones. _And _she was the other VIP of the game. You, on the other hand, were up against one copy of one girl that is a fairly new player," I pointed out.

As he tried (read: _tried_) to defend his honor, a familiar laugh sounded off above us. My heart twisted as my ex-girlfriend easily maneuvered two dragons to the exact same diner I was going to. '_She's so blasted graceful at… everything_.'

"What is the best guild ever?!" she yelled.

"Ride's Angels!" Cheers rang through the diner's lot as three dragons were lowered to the ground. The two riders jumped off of their respective posts.

"Stay!" The two most powerful dragons shook their heads at Max. _'Bad idea_.' "Hey, look at me!" She yanked the leashes to make the beasts look at her. "I… said… stay. Understand?" she said in a deadly calm voice. The dragons nodded slowly. "Good."

"What's so interesting about _her_?" I wrenched my gaze from Max and looked down at Maya, the one girl that looks almost exactly like my ex.

"She's another top ranking, a VIP. Now that she has three dragons for her guild, we need to seriously consider an alliance," I answered.

"We don't need her, Fang. And she said a month ago she doesn't need you," Maya argued. Lissa nodded behind her in agreement.

"Don't remind me." I led the way into the diner.

"Sorry, the Dark Demons are not allowed in here tonight," a mocha colored- I checked her status- water user said, crossing her arms.

"Nudge, chill out. I know this one. Let him through," Max replied.

"We were going to come in anyway," Maya said snidely walking inside beside me. I grabbed Max as she lunged at Maya.

"You're still very predictable," I whispered in her ear.

"Let me go! I'm gonna rip that bitch into shreds, fry the pieces, and feed them to the dragons!" I held on tight as she struggled.

"And also still very weak," Maya smirked. '_Maya, whyyyyyyyyy_?!' I thought. I felt a stabbing pain in both arms; I let Max go to heal myself.

"You really want to play this game, Batcheldor?" she growled, her sword at Maya's neck.

"Bring it on, Ride."

"Maya, go wait outside while I talk to Max," I ordered calmly.

"No way! I'm third in command of the Dark Demons! I'm staying here! And if this bi…!"

"I said, go outside." Maya visibly gulped as I became even calm. Players think Max is scary when deliberately calm? They haven't seen my deliberate calm yet.

"Y… yes, sir." She scrambled outside.

"Nudge, let me and Fang here talk alone. Leader to leader. VIP to VIP," Max told her friend. The other girl nodded; my old… almost everything motioned for me to follow her. She led me to an already set table.

"Lamb and lobster," I said, a smile tugging at my lips.

"The best two L's to go together. What can you do for me?" We sat down; I sipped on my soda.

"Still arrogant, eh?"

"We're in a game. Now answer the question." She touched her plate; the lamb cut into smaller pieces. I did the same.

"I realize I cannot win this game without you. Already, almost 25% of the Dark Demons have been killed in boss raids." She snorted around her bite. "What?"

"I just recall you saying I can't win without you. Now you can't win without me."

"Max, please. The Dark Demons need help from Ride's Angels. I'll behave, I swear." She raised her cup to her lips, watching me over the rim.

"Mm, that's good wine. Red wine is the best, isn't it?" she said after taking a sip.

"Max, please…." This is the most I've ever begged. I'm really desperate here.

"We shall be called Ride's Angels and Demons from now on. The dragons are still mine, Nudge's, and an RA's. We earned them fair and square. You're tied with Nudge for 2nd in command. Now eat."

With that, she went silent. I fought down a smile as we ate our meal.


End file.
